With expectations off the charts, YES Network eagerly awaits new season

“As much as people talk about ‘This is Us,’ I can’t ever remember a ticker tape parade for ‘This is Us.’ They will have one for the Yankees if they win the World Series. It’s a whole different level when it comes to emotion, engagement, loyalty, drama. It’s all there,” he said.

The Damn Yankees are viewed by many as the Evil Empire. But the humble way homegrown stars like Judge went about their business last season somehow made the Yankees, yes the Yankees, lovable underdogs.

Watching the Los Angeles defense is going to be fun next year.

Peters and Talib are absolute ball hawks who fool quarterbacks into throws they regret from the moment the ball leaves their hand, but they also take risks and get beat by double-moves more than most cornerbacks of their ilk.

It will be on franchised free safety Lamarcus Joyner to clean up when his cornerbacks get beat, and on the Aaron Donald -led pass rush to get home quickly and allow L.A.’s two star cornerbacks to break on the football.

Wednesday, March 7 DL Chris Baker, Bengals Grade: B- Last year went disastrously for Baker, who left Washington to sign a three-year, $15.8 million deal with Tampa Bay.

Baker got $6 million guaranteed but did little during his season in Tampa, racking up just a half-sack, five quarterback knockdowns and two tackles for loss across 437 defensive snaps.

The departures of Sherman and Bennett were especially painful on a personal level. Wright and Sherman, who subsequently signed with the 49ers, were both part of Seattle’s 2011 draft class. Bennett joined the Seahawks via free agency in 2013.

Wright chuckled when asked how much he believes the chance to face the Seahawks twice in 2018 figured into Sherman’s decision to join an NFC West rival.

“I believe it had a little bit to do with it,” Wright said. “I’m not mad at him. We’re always competing to be our best. Whatever motivates Sherm to be at his best is going to pay off for him.

“Sometimes, guys do make decisions maybe (based upon) playing their old team. Guys always get hyped up about that. It’s going to be fun to go against him. As soon as the news broke, I texted him and said it would be fun to do battle against him.”

Wright also was effusive in his praise of Bennett not only as a player but as a team leader when the Seahawks received public blowback for select players not following national anthem protocol while attempting to make a social statement.